After stressing relentlessly about how to organize my plane ticket, in the end I decided to go ahead with an 8 hour layover in Korea to have some time with my 92 year old grandmother.
As the driver was taking me onto the freeway outside Incheon airport at 430am, we passed by another taxi van at the side of the road with 2 people outside. We stopped to see what was wrong. The passenger, a woman probably around 70 years old, was freaking out saying she was too scared to ride in his car, while the driver was saying she had alzheimer's and didn't know what she was talking about. We transferred the bags and took her in our car, and she was so adorable I couldn't stop laughing. She had just visited her 2 sons who live in the NY area, and she said the driver had scared her. I said it takes quite a lot of guts to leave the car like that in the middle of the night, and had she been a male passenger, the discord probably would've ended in fist fights and some serious swearing at that hour.
Just as I arrived at my grandmother's home, she opened the door right as I was outside. The new housekeeper, a Korean lady from China, said she had been opening the door and waiting for someone for the past 2 days. Me. They even had my favorite rice prepared - kong bap - rice with beans, as my grandmother had her make it as she remembered how much I love it. I was shocked she remembered so much. I unloaded my suitcase filled with 10 boxes of chocolates for my grandmother I had slowly pilfered from work during Christmas time, as well as the pink scarf I had searched for the last few years for (the last one I sent her got lost in the mail). She kept tying the scarf around her neck and played with it as fortunately, she liked it. The phone rang at 7am and I picked it up saying "imo" - knowing it would be my aunt who also was awaiting my arrival. The funny thing with my imo is that despite us being more removed from each other than me and my mom, my aunt and I are so similar in habits, personality, and general outlook. She came over with some clothes, we went for lunch, and I was off to the airport again, less than 6 hours later.
I had been a nervous wreck before leaving NY, but this time around as I was finally going to be boarding for Tashkent I felt both excited and peaceful.
My arrival was wonderful, thanks to Malika, the office assistant who held up a sign with my name as I came out of the airport. We went straight to my hotel, the Markazy hotel (former Sheraton), where I quickly unpacked my clothes and made myself at ease in my new "home".
The next morning I decided to take a couple hours in the morning to get a manicure. I know I know, why would I be late for my new job b/c of a manicure? But for people who know me, they wouldn't be surprised. I went across the street at the DeDeman hotel where a skinny girl with long hair did my nails. I asked if she was Korean and proceeded to have a conversation in my stilted Russian. In the end I think I scared her off when I got really excited that her dye-dushka and babushka (grandparents) also live here and still speak Korean, and I asked if I could meet them. Politely she said I don't know. I left my information just in case, but realized I probably came on too strong with my excitement.
So... rolling into work, I was surprised that everyone in the office is MALE. I'm used to male dominated environments, but this was different. Except for Malika, every_single_employee is a male. They each gave brief introductions and honestly, I can't remember or repeat any of their names yet. We had lunch across the street and came back to the office. Fred, one of the partners, graciously allowed me to go on a quick tour with one of the employees and we went to the Tashkent national museum. The building is stunning. The ceiling inside is of a dome shape with the most beautiful intricate details and a gorgeous crystal chandeleir. The first floor was filled with paintings of one of their great conquerers, Tamerlane, reflective of the great national pride. On the 2nd floor there were more displays of traditional cloaks, some weaponry, and coins. I have never cared for weaponry before until this trip. It amazed me that back then that was how they fought, killed, and conquered people. Apparently the way Tamerlane won was b/c his armor and weapons were made of copper. In any case, what was also funny was they initially charged me a fee to be able to take pictures, but later returned the fee (minus 90% of it) because we had an office in their building. When I was on the 2nd floor the attendant brought me a cloak and hat to take pictures. I am assuming that is where the 90% of the fee went.
We also stopped by the outdoor bazaar (I was so curious about these) with rows of potatoes, onions, and beautifully peeled carrots in the first row, and in the 2nd I found what I was looking for. A Korean stand with kimchi's and different side dishes (banchans) run by an Uzbek Korean who no longer spoke Korean. I asked if I could take her picture, or rather, my colleague asked for me. She said why, and after some explanation she said I could take pictures of the food but not of her. I was so amazed by how the food could be exactly the same zillions of miles away and without direct influence from Korea over the years.
We returned to the office upon which we went to visit a hydro dam project about an hour away. I'm still a little fuzzy on the details, but apparently they are trying to buy a stake or join up with this businessman to build water dams. Apparently water is a huge problem here as water is supplied by Kyrgystan and Tajikistan, but only in the winters. In the summers there is no supply but ironically there are fountains here and there sprouting water. We looked around the site, the machinery, took some pictures and returned. The drive there was gorgeous - cows crossing our path in the streets, rolling valleys and mountains amid hot, arid air. Though I have to say our drive there was a little difficult b/c the businessman with whom we're trying to do a deal with (we had to re-arrange our seats to give him the seat of honor in front) dislikes a/c, and not only was I so hot and sweaty, but I think my makeup pretty much melted against my face. On our way back we split up - the businessman got into what to me looked like a Bentley but apparently is a "Volga" and absolutely gorgeous. Faced with jetlag and finally relaxing after so much anticipation about arriving, I passed out like the dumb foreigner in the back of the car on our way back. Up to my hotel room I went, along with one of the nicest deep sleeps I've had in a while.
This morning I woke up exhausted but woke up, went for breakfast, and got lost on my way to work. The taxi driver took me to the other business center, where fortunately an English speaking Uzbek guided me to a driver and gave him instructions on where to take me.
Day 2 has been filled with preparing for this presentation our managing partner is giving in NY next week. It has been a steep learning experience as until this trip I did not know what frontier market investing was. It's also been incredibly exciting managing, guiding, and leading a team of fresh eager colleagues while learning to devise and create things impromptu. Somehow confidence has sprung up, my voice has gotten louder when I need to present, and I already feel a sense of fondness and protectiveness towards my colleagues.
I still can't believe I am here, and I already know I will cherish these experiences and this part of my life forever.
No comments:
Post a Comment